Friday, 8 September 2006

On tuesday, I blogged about the two new free evening papers in London, telling how I thought thelondonpaper was better, in my view than London Lite.

It seems that the "bloodbath" is still going on on the streets of London. On Wednesday night I once again found myself on a bus to rehearsal with the Chorus and if anything there seem to be more people handing out free papers (both titles) than there were on Monday. A witness to this was the state of the upper of the bus home!

I dutyfully picked up a copy of each paper to see whether my observation of the other day were still holding. Just like a swallow doesn't make spring, an issue obviously does not make a newspaper. I have to say, London Lite did not disappoint. It is just as bad but then again, this is the result of years of experience. The recipe is tested and in no danger of dilution.

I was not so pleased by what thelondonpaper was offering, however. Two days had been enough to turn it into a parody of its rival, it seems. It still looks classier but it seems that the editor has chosen the lowest common denomitator rather than try and raise the debate, however slightly. As a result, both papers carried the same picture on the front page (the cover of the latest Vanity Fair) highlighting (just like the Evening Standard) the highly newsworthy fact (!) that Tom Cruise's daughter does actually exist. That picture being the proof, apparently.

What really irked, however, was the impressive example of bad journalism and writing which shared the front page with the aforementioned picture.

"'Pervs' lurk in the square" shouted the title in bold capital letters. Followed an article so biased and of so little substance in its attempt to scare people that even the Sun would probably not have published it.

I could also mention something called "Hair apparent. Has Blair Been to the Bleach?"...

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